Erin is the first hurricane to develop over the Atlantic this year, and meteorologists are closely tracking its path and forecast.

CNN By CNN Meteorologist Mary Gilbert, Allison Chinchar, Rebekah Riess, Andrew Freedman, CNN (CNN) — Powerful Hurricane Erin has undergone a period of astonishingly rapid intensification — a phenomenon that has become far more common in recent years as the planet warms.

Tropical Storm Erin is tracking west over the open Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday and forecasters expect it to become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season this week.